遺 物(いぶつ)

いぶつ

noun

relic; remains; artifact

formal

See also: 異物(いぶつ) (foreign body)

1. relic; remains; artifact

An object left behind from the past, especially historical or archaeological artifacts. Can also refer to outdated things that have survived from a previous era.

遺跡(いせき)から遺物(いぶつ)が発見(はっけん)された。

Artifacts were discovered at the ruins.

この土器(どき)は縄文時代(じょうもんじだい)の遺物(いぶつ)だ。

This pottery is a relic from the Jomon period.

あの制度(せいど)は封建時代(ほうけんじだい)の遺物(いぶつ)にすぎないという批判(ひはん)もある。

There is also criticism that the system is nothing more than a relic of the feudal era.

Used both literally for archaeological finds and figuratively for outdated systems or ideas that linger from a bygone era.

Common collocations

出土(しゅつど)遺物(いぶつ) (excavated artifact)
歴史的(れきしてき)遺物(いぶつ) (historical relic)
～時代(じだい)の遺物(いぶつ) (relic of the ~ era)

Do not confuse with 異物(いぶつ) (foreign body/substance), which has the same reading but different kanji and meaning.

Related Words

Related: 遺跡(いせき) (ruins, historic site, remains)

Related: 考古学者(こうこがくしゃ) (archaeologist)

Compare: 遺存(いそん) (survival)

general

Added 2026.3.2 15:27 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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